Bungoma County has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) to strengthen research, policy development and evidence-based decision-making across key sectors of the county economy.
The agreement was signed by Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka and KIPPRA Executive Director Dr. Eldah Onsomu, in a partnership that seeks to enhance the county’s capacity to generate and apply research in planning, policy formulation and development.
Governor Lusaka said the collaboration would enable the county to streamline research for its County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) and other development programmes, ensuring that public interventions are informed by reliable data and evidence and deliver tangible results to residents.
“Collaboration with KIPPRA has enabled counties to streamline research in CIDP development that delivers for the people,” Lusaka said.
He said KIPPRA’s expertise would be particularly valuable in revenue research, agriculture, health and other priority sectors, helping the county build internal research capacity while reducing its reliance on costly external consultancy services.
Lusaka said strengthening the county’s research and analytical capabilities would also improve management and planning, noting that institutions such as KIPPRA are instrumental in providing the data and evidence required for sound public-sector decision-making.
“KIPPRA will come in handy in revenue research, agriculture, health and other sectors, cutting consultancy services,” he said, adding that evidence-based research would strengthen county management.
Under the MoU, the two institutions will undertake joint research in areas of mutual interest, hold research workshops and policy seminars, and facilitate capacity-building initiatives. The partnership also provides for mentorship, short training courses in forecasting and macroeconomic modelling, internships, fellowships and secondments.
The arrangement is expected to give Bungoma access to specialised policy research and analytical expertise, strengthening the county’s ability to identify development priorities, evaluate programmes and make informed decisions on resource allocation.
The MoU further establishes a Joint Coordination Committee, with each party appointing two representatives to oversee and coordinate implementation of the collaboration.
Dr. Onsomu hailed Bungoma for embracing the partnership, saying the collaboration would strengthen the county’s management systems and support its development agenda.
“This partnership will strengthen the County’s management and support development,” Onsomu said.
The partnership comes at a time when counties are increasingly required to demonstrate that development programmes and public expenditure are guided by measurable evidence, sound planning and demonstrable results.
Beyond research, the agreement creates a structured framework through which Bungoma can tap into KIPPRA’s expertise in policy analysis, economic modelling and capacity development, potentially strengthening the technical capacity of county officers while promoting home-grown solutions to local development challenges.
The MoU states that its principal purpose is to define areas of collaboration between KIPPRA and Bungoma County in pursuit of national and county development goals through the provision of quality public policy advice. It also provides a framework for future, more specific agreements between the two institutions.
The partnership is therefore expected to position research and evidence at the centre of Bungoma’s planning, policy formulation, programme implementation and development management, ultimately improving the quality and efficiency of services delivered to residents.
